I'm really not computer smart and pretty new to a Mac. Right now my desktop is frozen, as is Finder, but all my other applications are working fine. I have no idea whats causing this, and no idea what else I need to tell you for you to help me better. This has happened a few times over the last few days, usually after i download something. It unfreezes eventually... but it doesn't seem good.
Macbook app. Finder is frozen?
- Thread starter emando16
- Start date
eric2006
iMovie Professional
What version of OS X are you using? Try downloading and installing the 10.4.8 combo updater.
Okay I want to trash that thing you said, but i can't open up my main folder because its on my desktop and my desktop is frozen. I'm on the newest version of macosx i THINK... i cant check because my little apple icon on the top left is frozen. I tried to open up the trashcan, because from there i can navigate to other folders, but that appears to be frozen too :O
Should i still download that thing if i have the latest version of osx?
Should i still download that thing if i have the latest version of osx?
i tried rebooting with shift held down and my computer never turned on. it got stuck loading on the screen that is pretty much blank, but has the apple sign and a little loading asterisk thing. What does it mean if it never turned on?
Is the Go menu the one on the very top left with the apple sign? I had thought that was frozen until just now... apparently when i'm in an application other than finder it works. Where do i go from there?
Is the Go menu the one on the very top left with the apple sign? I had thought that was frozen until just now... apparently when i'm in an application other than finder it works. Where do i go from there?
bobw
The Late: SuperMacMod
The Go Menu is at the top of your screen;
Finder File Edfit View Go
If that doesn't work, boot from the Tiger disc by holding the C key down.
After going past the Language screen, go up to the Utility Menu and open Terminal and use this command;
sudo rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
Finder File Edfit View Go
If that doesn't work, boot from the Tiger disc by holding the C key down.
After going past the Language screen, go up to the Utility Menu and open Terminal and use this command;
sudo rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
Lt Major Burns
"Dicky" Charlteston-Burns
the finder's not responding, so i doubt that that's possible at the moment. try doing a spotlight for
finder .plist
then hit show all. drag com.apple.finder.plist to the trash and empty the trash, then restart.
finder .plist
then hit show all. drag com.apple.finder.plist to the trash and empty the trash, then restart.
'I'm really not computer smart ...' - turning ON the MacBook; connecting to the internet; locating, registering, and posting to 'macosx.com' shows you are quite 'computer smart'.
'... and pretty new to a Mac.' - welcome to the Macintosh community, and macosx.com.
'... my desktop is frozen, as is Finder' - 'Finder' maintains the 'Desktop', so a frozen 'Finder' will inhibit your access to the 'Desktop'.
'... but all my other applications are working fine.' - if your currently launched applications continue to work, and can be clicked on - to be brought forward, yet 'Finder' remains 'frozen' or occupied, 'and' you cannot launch (open, run) any additional applications - you have experienced / are experiencing a low level system failure.
Yes, 'Finder' itself can bring such a failure about - and Apple has yet to release a fix for such.
'Finder' itself is Apples one failure to properly port to MacOS X from its world class predecessor - 'System 9.2.2' (and earlier).
'Finder', like 'Safari', is known to generate excessive number of threads whose memory is not properly released.
-----
'Try downloading and installing the 10.4.8 combo updater.' - it is rarely a good idea to install any updates to a currently dysfunctional operating system.
With respect to downloading and installing any Apple update, etc., consider downloading the respective installer(s) from 'Apple Downloads' (and not using the 'Apple, Software Update' feature.
-----
Suggestion:
If your Mac boots and allows accesses to your '~/Library/Preferences/' folder ...
Follow bobw's advice and remove the 'com.apple.finder.plist' file (placing it on your 'Desktop' or in the Trash can) then relaunch 'Finder'. To do such - press and keep pressed the <option> key as you click on the 'Finder' icon, on the 'Dock', when the contextual menu appears - drag down (on the contextual menu) and select the 'Relaunch' menu item.
Next, instead of launching (opening, running) 'Disk Utility' - boot from the supplied Install Disk. Run 'Disk Utility' from the booted 'Install Disk', and do a 'Disk Repair' (at least twice) and then 'Repair Disk Permissions' (at least twice).
... otherwise ...
Follow bobw's advice of booting from the install disc and via it 'Terminal' application enter 'sudo rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist'
Next, run 'Disk Utility' from the booted 'Install Disk', and do a 'Disk Repair' (at least twice) and then 'Repair Disk Permissions' (at least twice).
Reboot your Mac, via its internal hard disk drive.
As time goes on - you will know if either process did / did not solve your problem(s).
-----
Other factors may be present - such as the quantity and / or size of your Mac's 'swapfiles' (accessible via 'Finder's 'Go, Go to Folder' menu item and entering '/var/vm/'); and, whether or not a '.log' file or files, due to a MacOS X hiccup, is / are corrupted - typically noted by being quite large in size (Log files can be located at '/var/log/' [use 'Finders' 'Go to Folder' menu item to access], '/Library/Logs/' and '~/Library/logs/').
'... and pretty new to a Mac.' - welcome to the Macintosh community, and macosx.com.
'... my desktop is frozen, as is Finder' - 'Finder' maintains the 'Desktop', so a frozen 'Finder' will inhibit your access to the 'Desktop'.
'... but all my other applications are working fine.' - if your currently launched applications continue to work, and can be clicked on - to be brought forward, yet 'Finder' remains 'frozen' or occupied, 'and' you cannot launch (open, run) any additional applications - you have experienced / are experiencing a low level system failure.
Yes, 'Finder' itself can bring such a failure about - and Apple has yet to release a fix for such.
'Finder' itself is Apples one failure to properly port to MacOS X from its world class predecessor - 'System 9.2.2' (and earlier).
'Finder', like 'Safari', is known to generate excessive number of threads whose memory is not properly released.
-----
'Try downloading and installing the 10.4.8 combo updater.' - it is rarely a good idea to install any updates to a currently dysfunctional operating system.
With respect to downloading and installing any Apple update, etc., consider downloading the respective installer(s) from 'Apple Downloads' (and not using the 'Apple, Software Update' feature.
-----
Suggestion:
If your Mac boots and allows accesses to your '~/Library/Preferences/' folder ...
Follow bobw's advice and remove the 'com.apple.finder.plist' file (placing it on your 'Desktop' or in the Trash can) then relaunch 'Finder'. To do such - press and keep pressed the <option> key as you click on the 'Finder' icon, on the 'Dock', when the contextual menu appears - drag down (on the contextual menu) and select the 'Relaunch' menu item.
Next, instead of launching (opening, running) 'Disk Utility' - boot from the supplied Install Disk. Run 'Disk Utility' from the booted 'Install Disk', and do a 'Disk Repair' (at least twice) and then 'Repair Disk Permissions' (at least twice).
... otherwise ...
Follow bobw's advice of booting from the install disc and via it 'Terminal' application enter 'sudo rm ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist'
Next, run 'Disk Utility' from the booted 'Install Disk', and do a 'Disk Repair' (at least twice) and then 'Repair Disk Permissions' (at least twice).
Reboot your Mac, via its internal hard disk drive.
As time goes on - you will know if either process did / did not solve your problem(s).
-----
Other factors may be present - such as the quantity and / or size of your Mac's 'swapfiles' (accessible via 'Finder's 'Go, Go to Folder' menu item and entering '/var/vm/'); and, whether or not a '.log' file or files, due to a MacOS X hiccup, is / are corrupted - typically noted by being quite large in size (Log files can be located at '/var/log/' [use 'Finders' 'Go to Folder' menu item to access], '/Library/Logs/' and '~/Library/logs/').
